Combination billfold and purse



March 10,; 1959 H. COHEN ETAL COMBINATION BILLFOLD AND PURSE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed'Aug. 11, 1955 FIG.!

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' INVENTORS Jil/z'en Coke BY Azrry, Gabe ATTORNEYS March 10, 1959 H. CQHEIQ m1 2,876,819

WBINATION BILLFOLD AND PURSE Filed Aug. 11, 1955 2 shed -sheet 2 FIG. 5 FIG; 6

IN V EN TORS Jillian Gaizefl ATTORNEYS.

Zfiihfiid Patented Mar. 16, 1959 2,876,819 COMBINATION BILLFOLD AND PURSE Harry Cohen and Julian Cohen, New York, N. Y., assignors to Aristocrat Leather Products, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 11, 1955, Serial No. 527,756 8 Claims. (Cl. 150-35) This invention relates to ticularly to a combination French Purse type.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a generally new and improved combination billfold and purse.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved combination billfold and purse with each compartment being directly accessible from outside the purse and having an additional provision for access to the billfold compartment through the purse compart ment.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved combination billfold and purse wherein access to the billfold may be gained through an access opening in one of the walls defining the purse compartment in order to extract from the billfold bills of one denomination, bills of other denominations being concealed from view through said access opening in said purse. The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings: 7

Fig. 1 is a front view of a combination billfold and purse embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the combination billfold and pulse shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the combination billfold and purse shown in Fig. 1 illustrating said billfold and purse in its unfolded condition;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view with away to more clearly illustrate the combination billfold and purse;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 with other parts broken away to more clearly illustrate other details of construction of the combination billfold and purse;

' Fig. 7 is a view similar to Figs. 5 and 6 with additional parts broken away;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 5 illustrating a modification of the present invention;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 5 illustrating ancther modification of the present invention; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the purse in its open condition.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, a combination billfold and purse 10 comprises a sheet 12 of flexible material such as leather which is folded along a longitudinal fold line 14 and the transverse edges 16 and 18' of the front wall 20 and the rear wall 22 are secured to each other in a manner to be described hereinafter. Front and rear walls 20 and 22', respectively, are secured adjacent transverse edge 18 by means of a flap 26 on front wall 20 which overlies a portion of rear wall 22 pocketbooks and more parbillfold and purse of the some parts broken construction of the and is disposed within a slot 28 provided therein. The portion of flap 26 underlying rear wall 22 is suitably secured to rear wall 22 as by a cemented joint. Prefer-- ably, rear wall 22 is not continuous but is provided with a central slot 31 which divides the rear wall into two rear wall portions 30 and 32 which have folded over marginal edges 34 and 36, respectively. Disposed between the rear wall portions 30 and 32 and their folded over marginal edges 34 and 36, respectively, is a partition 38 whichis substantially co-extensive with the billfold compartment 24 and which is secured to the rear wall portions and their marginal edges by sewn seams 39 extending through the marginal edge portions and the partition 38. Partition 38 and rear wall portions 3t? and 32 define therebetween pockets 41 and 43, respectively, and partition 38 and front wall 20 define therebetween a billfold compartment 24. Partition 38 is preferably not secured to any portion of the combination billfold and purse other than rear wall 22 so as to facilitate the folding of the billfold and purse along a transverse fold line 46. Combination billfold and purse Hi can be releasably held in its folded condition by means of complementary snap fastener elements 42 and 44 which are respectively secured to the front wall 20 and toe flap 46 which is secured to the wallet in a manner to be described hereinafter. To provide combination billfold and purse 10 with a finished appearance, front wall 20 is folded over along its free longitudinal edge to form marginal edge portion 23 which is secured to the inside of front wall 20 as by a cement joint.

In accordance with the present invention, an auxiliary Wall 50 having gussets 52 provided therein is secured to front wall 20 as by stitching 54 along three edges thereof so as to define a purse having an access opening 56 therein. As may be seen from Figs. 1 and 4, auxiliary wall 51) is substantially co-extcnsive with one half of front wall 20 on one side of transverse'fold line 40. Defined in front wall 20 underlying auxiliary wall 50 is an opening 58 to provide access to the billfold compartment 24 from the purse 60. Opening 58 is sufficiently large and is suitably proportioned to permit the passage of paper money therethrough. Accordingly, paper money 62 can be removed from the billfold compartment 24 without reaching into said compartment through the main access opening 25 therein, the auxiliary opening 58 in the front wall 20 providing for access through the purse 60. Accordingly, billfold and purse 10 need not be unfolded along line 40 in order to gainaccess to paper money in billfold compartment 24. To facilitate the obtaining of access of paper money 62 through access opening 58, front wall 20 is provided with slits 64;which extend in a longitudinal direction from, access opening 58 toward transverse fold line 40 so as to define a flap 66in front wall 20 adjacent access opening 58. Accordingly, when the user inserts his fingers through access opening 58, he may push back flap 66 in wall 20in order to enlarge the opening to facilitate removal of paper money 62 in the billfold compartment. A snapfastener element 68 is provided on auxiliary wall 50 to releasably engage a complementary snap fastener 70 on a flap 72 in order to releasably close purse 60.

In accordance with one highly desirable feature ofthe present invention, an auxiliary partition member 74 is provided in billfold compartment 24 in the area of purse 60. More particularly, partition member 74 overlies opening 58 and thereby prevents change in purse 60 from inadvertently passing through opening 53 into billfold compartment 24. Specifically in accordance with the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 through 7, auxiliary partition 74 extends from edge 16 intov the billfold compartment 24 in surface to surface contact with the inner surface of front wall 20 a sufficient distance to extend beyond access opening 58 and flap 66 in. wall 20. Auxiliary partition 74 is integrated into the wallet by a line of stitching 76 which extends through flap 46, rear wall portion 32, auxiliary partition 74, front w'all 20'and flap 72 thereby securing all of these elements wtih one line of stitching in one operation. To reinforce the seam along line 16 and to provide it with a finished appearance, a U-shaped fastening member 78 is disposed in overlying relation to said seam along edge 16 in clamping relationship therewith. To further secure auxiliary partition 74 to front wall 20, a line of stitching 80 through front wall 20 and auxiliary partition 74 is provided, said line of stitching 80 being spaced from line of stitching 76, as is best shown in Fig. 4. Of course, stitching 80, must be disposed between edge 16 and access opening 58.

By providing auxiliary partition 74 as hereinbefore described, the user may dispose his paper money 62 in billfold compartment 24 so thatbills of low denomination are disposed to the right of partition 74, as viewed in Fig. 4, and bills of high denomination are disposed to the left of auxiliary partition74 as viewed in Fig. 4. Accordingly, without unfolding billfold and purse so as to gain access to the paper money through main access opening 25, the user may open purse 60 by disengaging complementary snap fasteners 68 and 70 and reach through auxiliary access opening 58 in order to remove paper money of small denomination, paper money of high denomination being concealed by front wall 20 and auxiilary partition 74.

Referring now to Fig. 8, it will be seen that auxiliary partition 74 in the embodiment shown therein is secured to the inner surface of front wall 20 only by stitching 76 and U-shaped securing element 78, the line of stitching 80 being omitted in the form shown therein. The embodiment shown in Fig. 8 has the distinct advantage of requiring only one operation to secure the entire assem bly along edge 16 thereof, the second operation of incorporating stitching 80 being omitted. Referring now to Fig. 9, another form of the present invention is shown wherein auxiliary partition 74' is secured only by the line of stitching 80, the securement of partition 74' along edge 16 being omitted. This embodiment of applicants present invention is highly desirable in'that it eliminates the need for a substantial amount of material in the auxiliary partition 74 which is needed in the other embodiments in which partition 74 extends all the way up to edge 16.

Although we haveherein shown and described several forms of the present invention, it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A combination billfold and purse, comprising first and second walls defining a billfold compartment therebetween, an auxiliary wall overlying a portion of said first wall to define a purse compartment therebetween, said first wall having an opening therein extending betweensaid purse compartment and said billfold compartment whereby access to said billfold compartment can be gained through said purse compartment, and a partition member in said billfold compartment secured to the inner surface of one of said Walls and overlying said opening in said first wall and the confronting surface of said first wall adjacent to the marginal edges of said opening to thereby prevent coins in said purse compartment from entering said billfold compartment through said first wall opening, whereby paper money disposed in said billfold compartment between said first wall and said partition is accessible through said first wall opening and paper money disposed between said second wall and said partition is inaccessible through said opening and is concealed by said partition.

2. A combination billfold and purse, comprising first and second walls in confronting relation and adapted to define therebetween a billfold compartment, an auxiliary wall overlying a portion of said first wall to define a purse compartment therebetween, said first wall having an opening therein extending between said purse compartment and said billfold compartment whereby access to said billfold compartment can be gained through said purse compartment, a partition member disposed between said first and second walls and overlying said opening in said first wall and the confronting surface of said first Wall adjacent to the marginal edges of said opening, and a line of stitching extending through said first and second walls and said partition member disposed therebetween for securing said walls in billfold compartment defining relationship and for holding said partition member therewithin, whereby paper money disposed in said billfold compartment between said first wall and said partition is accessible through said first wall opening and paper money disposed between said second wall and said partition is inaccessible through said opening and is concealed by said partition.

3. A combination billfold and purse, comprising first and second walls in confronting relation and adapted to define therebetween a billfold compartment, an auxiliary wall overlying a portion of said first wall to define a purse compartment therebetween, said first wall having an opening therein extending between said purse compartment and said billfold compartment whereby access to said billfold compartment can be gained through said purse compartment, a partition member disposed between said first and second walls and overlying said opening in said first wall and the confronting surface of said first wall adjacent to the marginal edges of said opening, and a line of stitching extending through said first and second walls and said partition member disposed therebetween for securing said walls in billfold compartment defining relationship and for holding said partition member therewithin, and another line of stitching spaced from said one line of stitching and extending through said first wall and said partition member, whereby paper money disposed in said billfold compartment between said first wall and said partition is accessible through said first wall opening and paper money disposed between said second wall and said partition is inaccessible through said opening and is concealed by said partition.

4. A combination billfold and purse, comprising first and second walls in confronting relation, and adapted to define therebetween a billfold compartment, means at each end of said first and second wall for securing said walls to each other in billfold compartment defining relationship, an auxiliary wall overlying a portion of said first wall to define a purse compartment therebetween,

- said first wall having defined therein an opening extending between said purse compartment and said billfold compartment whereby access to said billfold compartment can be gained through said purse compartment, said opening being spaced from the end of said first wall adjacent said purse compartment, and a partition member disposed in said billfold compartment and overlying said opening in said firstwall and the confronting sur face of said first wall adjacent to the marginal edges of said opening, one end of said partition member terminating between said first wall opening and said adjacent end of said first wall, and means for securing said partition member to the inner surface of said first wall adjacent said one end of said partition member, whereby paper money disposed in said billfold compartment between said first wall and said partition is accessible through said first wall opening and paper money disposed between said second wall and said partition is inaccessible through said opening and is concealed by said partition.

5. In a combination billfold and purse of the type having a pair of confronting walls secured together to define a billfold compartment therebetween, an auxiliary wall provided on the outer surface of one wall of said pair of walls to define a purse compartment therebetwecn, and said one wall having an opening defined therein in said purse compartment to provide access to said billfold compartment, that improvement which comprises a divider flap for said billfold compartment, said divider flap being disposed entirely within said billfold compartment and being secured to one of said pair of walls so as to overlie said opening, and the confronting surface of said one wall adjacent to the marginal edges of said opening.

6. A combination billfold and purse, as set forth in claim 5, further defined in that one end of said flap terminates at said opening and said one end is secured to the inner surface of said one wall at said opening.

7. A combination billfold and purse, as set forth in claim 5, further defined in that one end of said flap is secured to one end of said one wall at the inner surface of said one wall, said flap extending from said one end thereof to overlie said opening and being free of other securement to said billfold.

8. A combination billfold and purse, as set forth in claim 5, further defined in that one end of said flap is secured to one end of said one wall at the inner surface of said one wall, said flap extending from said one end thereof to overlie said opening and being additionally secured to the inner surface of said one wall at said opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,024,363 Hughes Dec. 17, 1935 2,405,379 Thomas Aug. 6, 1946 2,476,739 Knee July 19, 1949 2,613,716 Jeffery Oct. 14, 1952 2,719,557 Bell Oct. 4, 1955 2,750,978 Hume June 19, 1956 2,788,824- Broughton Apr. 16, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 582,797 Great Britain Nov. 28, 1946 

